This Luxury Boutique Hotel Is Now Vegetarian

Ovolo Hotels just took meat off the menu. The luxury boutique hotel, which has establishments in Hong Kong and Australia, has gone vegetarian in a bid to be more sustainable.

The hotel brand took to Instagram on World Vegetarian Day to make the announcement. Alongside a photo of a plant-based dish, Ovolo Hotels captioned: “The world is changing, and so are we. Ovolo Hotels are moving to greener pastures, with all restaurants and bars across Australia and Hong Kong as of today going vegetarian.”

Ovolo Hotels launched its new initiative, called “Year of the Veg,” on October 1. In lieu of meat, it debuted “forward-thinking all-vegetarian menus,” which feature ethically- and locally-sourced produce.

“We want to be conscious about what we’re consuming and practice sustainability as much as we can,” Ovolo group’s founder and CEO Girish Jhunjhnuwala said in a statement.

“We believe this can have an enormous impact on the environment and humanity at large. To that end, we’re evolving our food offerings so that our guests can continue enjoying great dining experiences in a more sustainable manner,” Jhunjhnuwala added.

Ovolo Hotels’ other sustainability efforts include phasing out single-use plastic bathroom amenities and plastic straws.

Plant-Based Hotels

This isn’t the hospitality group’s first foray into vegetarianism.

Last year, Veda at Ovolo Central became Hong Kong’s first vegetarian hotel. And in Australia, the Alibi Bar & Kitchen at Ovolo Woolloomooloo also serves vegan offerings.

Fully plant-based hotels are popping up with frequency as interest in veganism grows. Stanford Inn by the Sea, a resort on California’s Mendocino Coast, features an award-winning restaurant with an organic, plant-based menu.

The hotel offers vegan retreats and a number of activities like yoga, gardening, and cooking classes, as well as art experiences and canoe tours. (Some of these activities have been canceled until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic.)

And in Mykonos, the quaint village of Ano Mera got its very first fully vegan hotel. Koukoumi Hotel features a relaxing spa and Mediterranean-inspired, all-vegan cuisine. The menu includes a number of raw vegan meals, many of which feature ingredients sourced from the hotel’s fruit and vegetable garden.